Nyack Union Free School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Nyack Union Free School District

Nyack Union Free School District serves kindergarten through twelfth grade across a five-school system in Rockland County. The district educates a student population of around two thousand eight hundred, with a substantial share identifying as Hispanic or white, and meaningful representation of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. The district includes Liberty Elementary School, Valley Cottage School, Upper Nyack School, Nyack Middle School, and Nyack Senior High School.

Academic performance across the district shows a mixed picture. In the elementary grades, third and fourth grade students demonstrate stronger results in math and English language arts, with fourth graders reaching the higher end of what the district shows. By sixth and seventh grade, proficiency rates decline notably in both subjects. The drop becomes sharper in eighth grade, where math proficiency falls below one-half and English language arts proficiency sits just under one-half. Science testing data is limited; fifth grade shows roughly three-fifths of students proficient, but only a small portion of eighth graders who took the science test met proficiency standards, and participation in that test was very low. Overall, Nyack's proficiency index places it below the midpoint among Rockland County's districts.

The district has undertaken several deliberate shifts in recent years. It has moved toward phonics-based, science-of-reading instruction in early grades as part of a broader initiative called NyackBasics Reading Campaign, aimed at having all students reading by the end of second grade. This reflects a statewide movement toward evidence-based literacy instruction and represents a specific pedagogical choice families should be aware of if they have young children.

On the facilities front, the district has completed a multi-year capital improvement program funded largely through reserves rather than new borrowing. Projects have included district-wide air conditioning additions, boiler and roof replacements at several schools, and a land purchase near Nyack High School. In May 2024, voters approved two additional capital propositions that commit existing reserves to approved projects and establish a new capital reserve fund for future work, all without new tax debt. This approach shapes the district's financial trajectory and tax picture.

School tax levies have risen incrementally in recent years, staying within the state's tax cap. After a steeper increase in 2021-22, the district approved more modest levy hikes for 2022-23 and 2024-25. The 2024-25 budget reached roughly one hundred million dollars. This trajectory is a direct consideration for families evaluating the cost of living in the district.

Chronic absenteeism sits at a rate that places the district below the midpoint among county districts. Per-pupil current spending falls in the middle range of what county districts spend, on the lower half of that middle.

The district encompasses the village of Nyack and surrounding areas. Housing values in the district weighted across Nyack, Valley Cottage, and West Nyack show appreciation, though the broader market reflects mortgage rates and rents as competing costs for families. Rental housing in the Nyack zip code runs higher as a percentage of household income than the national norm, making the cost structure worth calculating specifically for a family's circumstances.

A parent considering Nyack should view this as a district with intentional curricular work underway, particularly in early literacy, stable finances managed through reserves, and visible commitment to building maintenance. The academic results show strength in the primary grades that erodes through middle and into high school, and a parent may want to look into further with the district how it is addressing performance in grades six through eight, where proficiency rates become notably lower.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,880

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 34%

Black 14%

White 37%

Asian 6%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

68%

—

Gr 3

38%

73%

Gr 4

60%

78%

Gr 5

37%

76%

Gr 6

24%

67%

Gr 7

33%

64%

Gr 8

21%

57%

Math

Gr EOC

—

Gr 3

51%

78%

Gr 4

63%

87%

Gr 5

53%

73%

Gr 6

32%

68%

Gr 7

48%

64%

Gr 8

28%

58%

Science

Gr EOC

46%

—

Gr 5

31%

67%

Gr 8

19%

13%

Social studies

Gr EOC

76%

—

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

NYACK MIDDLE SCHOOL

LIBERTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

NYACK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

UPPER NYACK SCHOOL

VALLEY COTTAGE SCHOOL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

70%

Grade 3

81%

Grade 4

68%

Grade 5

59%

Grade 6

60%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

62%

Grade 3

74%

Grade 4

66%

Grade 5

55%

Grade 6

57%

Grade 7

49%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

59%

Grade 5

16%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$696,122

Year-over-year change+2.5%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$635K to $786K

vs. state typical1.36x

vs. national typical1.89x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
10960	Nyack	$757K	+5.3%	50.1%
10989	Valley Cottage	$635K	-0.3%	49.8%
10994	West Nyack	$786K	+3.4%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,631/mo

Year-over-year change+7.5%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
10960	Nyack	$2,631	+7.5%	50.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,513/mo

Home price / national median income8.3x

Annual rent / national median income37.7%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$882/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$510,449 (+5.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.